Chapter 5: Diffusion, Osmosis and Active Transport

Name: _______________________( ) Class: __________ Date: ________

CHAPTER OVERVIEW

Movement of Particles

Any particles Only water

molecules

Diffusion Active Osmosis Transport

- No energy required - Against a concentration

gradient
- From lower concentration to
higher concentration - Energy is
required
- Down a water potential
gradient
- From higher water potential to
- Down a concentration lower water potential - Through a
gradient SELECTIVELY permeable
- From higher concentration to Learning Outcomes: Students membrane
lower concentration will be able to: - No energy required
1. define diffusion as the movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower
concentration, down a concentration gradient.
2. define osmosis as the passage of water molecules from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower
water potential through a selectively permeable membrane.
3. distinguish between diffusion and osmosis in terms of the type of molecules and the presence/absence of a
partially permeable membrane (*for cell membranes, must use selectively permeable membrane). 4. define active
transport and discuss its importance as an energy-consuming process by which substances are transported
against a concentration gradient, as in ion uptake by root hairs and uptake of glucose by cells in the villi.
5. describe the effects of osmosis on plant cells (including turgidity, flaccidity and plasmolysis) and animal cells.

Advanced:
1. apply the concepts of the movement of particles to solve related data analysis problems.

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Diffusion

Sometimes, while studying in the living room, you may get distracted by the smell of your mother's
cooking from the kitchen. On the street, you may smell the unpleasant odour of rubbish before
seeing the rubbish truck.

All these can be explained if we think of these smells as made up of tiny atoms or molecules
constantly moving from where they are more concentrated to where they are less concentrated.

The net movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower
concentration, down a concentration gradient, is called diffusion.

- Concentration refers to the number of particles per unit volume

- The concentration gradient is the difference in concentration between two regions.

Particles move down a concentration gradient until Particles continue moving but the concentration
concentration is uniform throughout remains uniform

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The photographs below were taken at different intervals of time after a crystal of potassium
permanganate was placed in a jar of water.
 Source: https://chemstory.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/kmn04_diffusion.jpg

The purple colour of the potassium permanganate spread slowly, eventually filling the whole jar of
water even when there was no stirring. This is because the particles in the crystal separated from
one another as the crystal dissolved in water. Water molecules then collide with these particles as
they move slowly through water, spreading them out in all directions.

Diffusion occurs spontaneously and does not involve any energy taken in or given out, i.e. there is
no gain or loss of energy.

The movement of particles during diffusion is random and continuous, with each moving in a
different direction, as shown in the figure below.

Source: Cambridge University Press

Let's Think…
Which state of matter (solids, liquids or gases) will diffusion occur the fastest? Why?

From solids to liquids to gases, particles move further apart and can move randomly with less
forces of attraction between them.

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The rate of diffusion depends upon:
♦ The concentration gradient
The greater the difference in concentration between two regions of a substance, the higher the
rate of diffusion. In other words, the steeper the diffusion gradient for a substance, the greater
the rate of diffusion.

♦ The distance over which diffusion takes place

The shorter the diffusion distance between two regions of different concentrations, the greater
the rate of diffusion.

♦ The area over which diffusion takes place

The larger the surface area, the higher the rate of diffusion. Diffusion surfaces frequently have
structures for increasing their surface area, hence the rate at which they exchange materials.
These structures include microvilli on cells lining the small intestine.

♦ The size and nature of the diffusing molecule

Small molecules diffuse faster than large ones. Fat-soluble molecules diffuse more rapidly
through cell membranes (consisting of fats and proteins) than water-soluble molecules.

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Osmosis (A special case of diffusion)
A water molecule comprises two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Hydrogen atoms are the
smallest atoms that exist. Oxygen atoms are not very large. Thus, water molecules are smaller than
most solute molecules. For example, a long chain of starch is much larger than a water molecule.

Source: http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/sites/default/files/PB_evaluating-visking-tubing-2.jpg

The diagram above shows a starch and glucose (small sugar molecules from starch) solution
separated from pure water by a thin piece of membrane such as a visking tubing. The membrane
has many tiny pores in it. The pores are big enough to allow water and glucose molecules through,
but not the larger starch. A membrane such as this, which will allow some molecules through but
not others, is called a selectively permeable membrane.

The water molecules on both sides also move around, colliding with other molecules and the
membrane. Water molecules from both sides of the membrane will cross to the other side. There is
a two-way traffic of water molecules from one side of the membrane to the other. The movement of
particles in one direction does not hinder the movements of other particles in the opposite direction.

There are far more water molecules in the pure water than sugar solution. Hence, more water
molecules from the pure water will pass through the pores in the membrane. We say that the water
molecules have moved from the pure water into the sugar solution.
This net movement of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane, from
a region of a higher water potential to a region of a lower water potential, down a
water potential gradient is called osmosis.

Osmosis through the selectively permeable membrane of the Visking tubing will continue until the
water potential is uniformly distributed between the two solutions. When the two solutions are of
equal water potential, there is no net movement of particles in any particular direction.

Osmosis is just a special kind of diffusion. In osmosis, water molecules diffuse through a
selectively permeable membrane. On the other hand, diffusion generally involves any type of
molecules, and a selectively permeable membrane needs or does not need to be present.

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In living cells, the cell membrane is selectively permeable. This is because the cell membrane not
 only allows water to move across by osmosis, but it also has special channels and carrier proteins
that allow other molecules to pass through. Osmosis is important to living organisms as water
enters and leaves the cells through their cell membranes.

Effect of Osmosis
From the diagram below, there is a net movement of water molecules from 10% solute
solution (hypotonic solution) to 20% solute solution (hypertonic solution) through a selectively
permeable membrane.

When equilibrium is reached, i.e. water potential is equal on either side of the selectively
permeable membrane, a difference in solution level is observed on both sides.

higher water
potential

lower water
potential

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Application: Osmosis in Living Things

Osmosis is an important process for all living things. When a unicellular organism like the
Paramecium adapts to living in the pond, the water in the pond is hypotonic to the cell. The
Paramecium needs to osmoregulate control the water balance between its cellular environment
and the external environment. It has developed a contractile vacuole that can pump water out of the
cell as fast as it enters by osmosis. This prevents the Paramecium from bursting in a hypotonic
environment.

In plants, when water molecules enter the plant cells across the selectively permeable cell
membrane, from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential, the plant
cell will not burst due to the presence of the tough cellulose cell wall. The cell wall prevents
overexpansion of the cell by exerting an opposing pressure preventing the entry of more water
molecules. The pressure exerted by the water on the cell wall is called turgor pressure.

For example, when a potato strip is immersed in distilled water, the potato cells will become
turgid and the potato strip will increase in length.

The root hair cell absorbs water and dissolved mineral salts from the soil. Water molecules enter
the root hair cell by osmosis. The path taken by the water from the root hair cell to the xylem is
shown in the figure below.

Source: Cambridge University Press

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Application: Diffusion in Living Things

Respiration:
As oxygen is used up in a living cell for respiration, the concentration of oxygen in the cell is
lowered. When the concentration of oxygen in a cell becomes lower than that in its surroundings,
oxygen from the surroundings will diffuse into the cell through the cell membrane, as shown in the
figure below.
 Diffusion of oxygen into a cell. The red dots represent oxygen molecules.
Source: Cambridge University Press

Carbon dioxide is constantly produced as a waste product of respiration in living cells, and it
diffuses out from the cells to the surroundings which have a lower concentration of carbon dioxide.

Photosynthesis:
During photosynthesis, cells in green leaves take in water and carbon dioxide to form glucose and
oxygen. Carbon dioxide from the surrounding air diffuses into the cells of green leaves through the
stomata and oxygen produced from the cells diffuses out into the surrounding air.

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Effect of different types of solutions on living cells

Types of Solution (ONLY APPLICABLE TO ANIMAL CELLS)

● Isotonic solution:
"Iso-" means equal. Isotonic solutions have equal water potential.
● Hypotonic solution:
A solution that has a higher water potential (lower concentration of solute) than the other
 solution.
● Hypertonic solution:
A solution that has a lower water potential (higher concentration of solute) than the other
solution.
Animal Cell in: Plant cell in:

Case 1: Hypotonic solution Solution of higher water potential

(eg. distilled water) (eg. distilled water)

● Osmosis occurs. ● Osmosis occurs.

● Higher water potential (outside ● Higher water potential in extracellular
the cell) in extracellular solution than solution than intracellular solution
intracellular solution. ● Water molecules enter the plant cell
● Water molecules enter the animal across the selectively permeable cell
cell across the selectively membrane and the cell swells.
permeable cell membrane and the ● Net gain of water molecules from
cell swells. extracellular solution into the cell.
● Net gain of water molecules ● Central vacuole increases in size and plant
from extracellular solution into cell start to swell.
the cell. ● Plant cells do not burst due to its
● As more and more water tough cellulose cell wall.
molecules enter the cell, it ● When the cellulose cell wall is stretched to
swells. its maximum, the plant cell cannot take in
● The cell membrane has to stretch any more water and is said to be turgid.
as the cell gets bigger.
● Until the strain is too large, the cell will
burst and release the contents of
the cell.
● This breaking up of a cell is called
lysis, resulting in a lysed cell.

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Case 2: Hypertonic solution Solution of lower water potential

(e.g. Concentrated salt solution) (eg. Concentrated salt solution)
● Osmosis occurs. ● Osmosis occurs.
● Lower water potential (outside of ● Lower water potential in extracellular
the cell) in extracellular solution than solution than intracellular solution
intracellular solution ● Net loss of water molecules from the cell
● Water molecules leave the animal into extracellular solution.
cell across the selectively permeable ● Firstly, the cell shrinks slightly and
cell membrane, and the cell shrinks. becomes flaccid.
● Net loss of water molecules from ● Central vacuole decreases in size.
the cell into extracellular solution. ● Then, the selectively permeable cell
● If a large amount of water leaves membrane starts to pull away from
the cell, it will become shrivelled. the cellulose cell wall.
● When cells shrink and shrivel, ● This leaves a visible gap between the cell
the process is called crenation. wall and the cell membrane. This process is
called plasmolysis.
● Plants with plasmolysed cells will wilt and
die if water is not supplied.
● Cell appearance is described as flaccid.

For example:
Onion cells in a concentrated salt solution.
● The cytoplasm has shrunk inwards,
leaving big gaps between the cytoplasm
and the cellulose cell walls.
● Plasmolysis has occurred.

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Case 3: Isotonic solution Solution of same water potential

● Equal water potential in ● Equal water potential in extracellular

extracellular solution and solution and intracellular solution.
intracellular solution ● No net gain or loss of water molecules.
● No net gain or loss of water molecules

Summary of the effect of different types of solutions on living cells:

Animal cells:
Hypotonic solution Isotonic solution Hypertonic solution
(e.g. distilled water) (eg. Concentrated salt
solution)

The net into the cells no net movement out of the cells
movement of
water molecules

Effect cells swell and burst no net change in size cells become shrivelled
(lysed cells) or shape

Plant cells:
Solution of higher Solution of same Solution of lower
water potential water potential water potential
(e.g. distilled water) (eg. Concentrated salt
solution)

Net movement into the cells no net movement out of the cells
of water
molecules

Effect cells swell no net change in cells become flaccid and

become turgid size or shape then plasmolysed.

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Active Transport

Living cells can absorb certain substances from the external

environment even though these substances are of higher
concentration inside the cell than they are in the environment.
This
means that the cells are absorbing substances against a
concentration gradient, and energy is required.

Active transport is the process in which energy is used to move the particles of a substance against
a concentration gradient, that is from a region of lower concentration to a region of higher
concentration.
 Active transport requires energy released from the process of respiration in living cells. Active
transport is carried out by a series of carrier proteins within the cell membrane. These have a
binding site, allowing a specific dissolved substance to bind to the side of the membrane where it is
at a lower concentration.

Examples of active transport

1. Root hair cells in plant roots use active transport to absorb nitrate ions from the soil, although the
concentration of nitrate ions inside the root hair cell is higher than the concentration in the soil.

2. In the small intestine, glucose and amino acids are actively transported from the lumen of the
intestine into the cells of the villi.

Cells of
small intestine take in
Root hair cells take in Differences between diffusion and active
dissolved mineral transport
salts through
glucose through diffusion as well as through active transport.
diffusion as well as
active
transport.

Diffusion Active transport

Transports dissolved substances from higher to Transports dissolved substances from lower to
lower concentration higher concentration
Requires no additional energy input Requires energy from respiration in living cells.

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